LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A newly-obtained arrest report for the suspect accused of stabbing a man to death inside a Regional Transportation Commission bus on Sunday is shedding more light on the incident.
According to the report, an RTC bus driver told Metro police officers that 59-year-old Aaron Cole entered the bus at a stop near Pecos and West Flamingo. He told officers Cole had an expired bus ticket and was being "a bit argumentative."
Due to the backlog of added stops that day because of the Rock N' Roll Marathon, the bus driver told police that he decided to let Cole on the bus, according to the report.
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The driver told officers he could see through his rearview mirror that Cole and passenger Dominque Lucas were arguing, but wasn’t sure what it was over.
When the bus was heading North of South Paradise, the arrest report says Lucas ran to the front of the bus and asked the driver to let Cole off the bus because Cole was allegedly threatening to kill him.
The bus driver then reportedly used the duress button to notify dispatch of an emergency. This is when Cole ran to the front of the bus and repeatedly stabbed Lucas, the report says.
RTC dispatch advised the driver to pull over in a safe spot. The driver stopped in front of the Mardi Gras Hotel on the 3500 block of Paradise Road.
The report reveals this is when the driver called 911 and told the remaining passengers to get off the bus for safety.
Aaron Cole appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday morning after refusing to attend a preliminary hearing on Monday, following his arrest. He is currently facing a charge of open murder and is being represented by a public defender.
The judge ordered Cole to remain in custody at Clark County Detention Center without bail.
A previous arrest report shows Cole was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon on February 16 for pulling a knife and threatening another passenger on a Keolis transit bus. On February 24, Cole was released on a $3000 bail two days before the murder.
Cole also has prior arrests in the state of Texas where he was convicted of attempted murder.
Former Clark County District Attorney David Roger said this information should have been considered before Cole's bail was set.
"It was either the prosecutor or judge didn't review reports as well but that information should have been brought to the courts," said Roger. "There is a systemic issue that is taking place and that is access to criminal history information. So the local judges and local prosecutors always have access to local record. There is a separate criminal justice network that is available to them but is not always accessed by police and prosecutors."
The network is called National Crime Information Center or NCIC. This is where the court could access information about out-of-state arrests and convictions.
"Because judges are hearing so many cases, they don't always access the national network," said Roger. "I would guess without seeing the transcript of the hearing, the judge probably didn't see the attempted murder conviction because if the judge had known about it, there is a chance that bail would not have been reduced from the original $10,000 to $3,000. There is a chance the bail would have been increased because the goal is to protect the community."
Dennis Hennessey is an RTC driver. He said he's been advocating for more safety on buses.
"This is the third passenger death that started on a bus in the last year," said Hennessey. "This is something the RTC needs to be held accountable for. I've been calling for transit police for at least the last ten years."
RTC gave this statement on Monday:
"We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the individual who lost his life yesterday. The RTC and transit operator Keolis are outraged at this senseless act of violence and do not condone violence of any kind on our transit system. As Southern Nevada’s transit authority, the RTC’s top priority is to keep our community moving safely and efficiently. The RTC and Keolis will continue to work closely with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during its investigation."
Cole will be back in court on March 29 for a preliminary hearing.
